The Gofpel of the New Moons. 441 againft the Papfts, who plead this for their Popifh Holy -days. For there were peculiar Sacrifices appointed for all the Holy Feftìvals, Numb. chap. 28, and 29. but there was none for this : And there is no- thing mentioned but civil Rejoycing, days of Feafting and Joy, and fending Portions to the Needy, Verf 22. Of this nature is our fifth of -November, Not but that there may and ought to be upon fuch times holy rejoycing in God, as upon any providential Occafion : But there ought not to be a religious Abftinence from the Works of our Cal- lings ( as upon the Lord's Day, and upon occafional Days of Fatting 4 or Rejoycing ) that ought not to be on any fuch days. Had they been religious Feafts and Days wherein they were bound to abftain from the Works of their Callings, after the nature of religious Feafts, we then are to fuppofe that Mordecai, Nehemiah, &c. had Inftru&ion from God about it, elfe they durft not have done it, they that had fuch Light and Holinefs. 4. We read of two Feafts more appointed in the time of the Mac- cabees, one for the Dedication of the Altar, i Maccab. 4. 56. fo they kept the Dedication of the Altar eight Days, offered Burnt- offerings with Gladnefs, and offered Sacrifices of Deliverance and Praife. And the other for the Purification of the Temple, 2 Maccab. t. t 8. weare now purpofed to keep the Purification of the Temple upon ihefive and twentieth day of the month Chefleu. Now if there had been only particular and occafional Feafts, there things God had left with the Church to appoint; but feeing the Jews fay, they were yearly Feafts, they were therefore fu- pernicious and unwarrantable Things ; for they had no fuch extraor- dinaryPerlons amongft them that could give themAáthority from God for filch a thing. Their Holy. Times we referred to three Heads, their Holy-days, Nem Moons, and Sabbaths. And thus we havegone through the firft, their Holy-days, or Feaft-days. Now a Word concerning their NewMoons. Let no Manjudgeyou in refpell of the NewMoons. 2. The fecond Word in the Text is New Moons, of which we read inNumb. 28. t t. in the beginnings of your Monthsye fha! offer a Burnt- offering unto the Lord, &c. and Numb. to. t o. in the beginnings of your ,Months ye (hall blow with the Trumpets over your Burnt-offerings, &c. To open this a little, that fo you may underhand the Mind of the Holy Ghoft in it ; you inuft obferve that their Computation of the Year was not as ours is, meerly Solar, but partly Lunar : For their Month always began with the NewMoon, and the Days remaining to fill up their Solar Year, which are eleven, they were wont to interca- late
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